The Demon Realm Mount XSS

Meaning of XSS:XSS stands for "Xerath's Serpent Summit"—a legendary mountain said to be the home of the Snake Queen, the creator of the Snake Kingdom and possibly Earth itself. Only the strongest can reach the summit by surviving ten trials guarded by monstrous armies, with Death awaiting at the peak.

Sai, Amal, Shi, and Xei returned to the village, their faces lit with relief.

"We won! We're free!" Sai shouted.

The village erupted in celebration. People danced joyfully, chanting their names. The village chef approached Sai with a wide smile.

"Sai! Will you become the new head chef? You're a hero to us!"

Sai smiled, shaking his head. "I'll ruin this village. I'm no hero… and definitely no chef."

The night carried on with laughter and music until Tai arrived, landing at the edge of the village.

Sai approached him. "Tai? You're a king—I thought you wouldn't have time to visit."

Tai grinned. "I may be a king, but a king can visit his best friend once in a while."

Suddenly, the ground trembled. The sky turned blood red. Lava burst from the earth.

A towering demon emerged from the molten ground. His voice echoed like thunder:

"Sai... you have three years left on Earth. After that, you will join the demon realm—just like your mother. You'll fight to save our realm for eternity. Until then… goodbye."

With that, the demon—Bestar—vanished. The sky cleared, and the ground stilled.

Shi looked at Sai, eyes filled with guilt. "Sai… I'm so sorry."

"For what?" Sai asked.

"If I hadn't taught you about the flames… you wouldn't—"

Sai interrupted, forcing a smile. "It's fine."

Tai stepped forward. "There's a way to help you."

Sai raised a brow. "What way?"

"Remember when I told you I used to be a monk? I read a book that revealed my true nature as a snake. It also mentioned the Snake Queen—the creator of the Snake Kingdom, maybe even of Earth itself."

"The Snake Queen?" Sai repeated. "You mean your mother?"

"No," Tai replied. "Not my mother. The creator. The book says she grants one to three wishes to those who find and save her. If anyone can save you, it's her."

Shi crossed his arms. "That's just a myth."

Tai's gaze hardened. "It's not. My mother stripped my powers, but when I read that book, my powers returned."

Shi hesitated. "But Sai only has three years. How will we find her? And how do we know she's even on Earth?"

Tai pointed east. "The book says the Snake Queen resides at Mount XSS—Xerath's Serpent Summit. To reach her, we'll have to face ten monstrous armies. The final guardian? Death himself."

Sai clenched his fists. "Three years left… and you're suggesting we risk our lives climbing some deadly mountain?"

Shi frowned. "See? It's madness."

But Sai smiled. "No. It's a great idea. If I find her, I stay on Earth. If I don't… at least I die with my friends."

Amal blinked. "Wait—what?!"

Tai grinned. "Then let's go."

The group set off. After a long journey, they reached the base of Mount XSS. Towering above them, the mountain's peak disappeared into stormy clouds.

The first trial awaited.

From the shadows emerged a creature with golden fur and blazing eyes.

"I am the Lion of Pride—the first of the ten guardians. To pass, you must defeat me."

Sai stepped forward, determination in his eyes. "Then let's begin."